Tank-supply and flushing apparatus.



W. T.'HI\NLY & T. W REESE. TANK SUPPLY AND rLusmNa APPARATUS.

I I Arrucmoi'mm OCT- '2|, 1916. 1,234,898. Patented July 31, 1917.

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I v Patented July 31, 1917.

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The attumJ w. T. HANLY & T. w REESE. mm sumxmo FLUSHING APPARATUS.

' AfPPL'ICATIOKflLED ocrizl. ms. Patented July 31, 1917 I E a snEHs-su Ea "i Y M E WL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL T. HANLY AND THOMAS W. REESE, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

TANK-SUPPLY AND FLUSHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed October 21, 1916. Serial No. 126,922.

The present invention has for an object to provide a float-controlledsupply valve adapted to be closed by the float when a predeterminedsurface level of water is reached in the tank, and to provide a novelconnection between the float and the valve for releasing the latter fromthe float, and for opening the valve while the float is in its raisedposition, and to provide asiphon jet under relatively great pressure foreffecting the substantially instantaneous 'siphoning or flushing of thewater from the tank Another object of the present invention is toprovide a construction of supply valve wherein after the tank has beensubstantially drained of the water therein, the siphon jet isautomatically reduced in pressure after providing a refill forthe bowl,

or the like, which may be connected to the tank, and wherein water fromthe supply pipe is admitted to the tank for the purpose of filling thesame.

The invention has for a further object the provision of an apparatus ofthis character wherein the siphon tube may be made continuous andunbroken, and wherein all such devices as rubber flush bulbs, siphonrings, and other mechanical parts usually employed, are eliminated. f

The present invention still further aims'at the provision of anapparatus of this character which comprises but relatively few partswhich maybe economically and easily manufactured; an apparatus whereinthe flushing is more silent than in the ordinary flushing apparatus nowin use; an apparatus.

the parts of which are strong and durable, and which cannot easily leak;and an apparatus which may be provided-with valves working with orsupply pipe.

e above, advantages of out more clearly in the following detaileddescription of the present preferred embodiment of this invention, thesame being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is' a vertical sectional view through a flushing tank, having,a tank supply and flushing apparatus constructed according to thepresent invention applied thereto, the apparatus. being shown ineletvation. v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the same,

against the pressure in the and various other objects and the apparatusbein shown in section, and the supply valve being shown in openposition.

Fig. 3. is a face view of the combined latch and cam plate shown in theposition of Fig. 1, embodying one of the features of this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line ingother hereinafter described positions of said combined latch and camplates.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the com med latch and cam plates.

Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged inner side elevathis invention'will bebrought 4-4of Fig. 2, showtion of the operating handle and theconnection carried. there y.

Fig.7 isra detail vertical sectional vview taken through the supplyvalves, showing a modification in the structure thereof.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same,

showing the combined latch and cam plate adjusted in the position ofFig.7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper end of the tank,showing the operating handle mounted therein.

Referring to-these drawings, wherein like parts are designated bysimilar numerals of reference throughout the several views, 10designates a supply tank of any suitable size and construction. A siphontube 11 is suitably mounted in the tank 10 and is provided with a shortleg 12 opening downwardly in the usual manner and adapted to be sealedby the water in the tank.

The tank 10 is provided, preferably near.

threaded projection 15 formed with a downwardly facing valve seat 16upon its lower end. The'riser 13 is provided, at a point above the valveseat, with a lateral opening, from which leads a 'jet pipe 17, the pipeterminating at its outer end in an upwardly extending nozzle 18projecting up into the short leg 12 of the, siphon to a considerableextent. Above the jet pipe 17, the riser 13 is provided with an upwardlyfacing valve seat 19 which leads to lateral openings 20 formed in theopposite sides of the riser 13 for communication with theinterior of thetank 10. The upper end of the riser 13 is forked, and is provided with apair of opposed ears 21 carried upon the opposite fork arm which haveregistering apertures therein. A fixed stem 22 projects laterally fromthe riserl3 in the vertical plane of the ears 21 and is provided with arelativel long.

roller 23 for a purpose which will ereinafter appear.

in the ears 21. The ears 21 project from the riser 13 at one sideopposite to that from A plunger 24 is fitted snugly in the upper end ofthe riser 13 and is adapted to slide vertically therein. The upper endof the plunger 24 is provided with a transverse slot, 24", and the lowerend of the plunger is provided with an upper valve head 25, and a lowervalve head 26. The valve head 25 may be detachably secured to the upperenlarged portion of the plunger 24, and the lower valve head 26 may bedetachably secured to the lower end of the lower section of the plunger24. To permit assembly of the parts the lower end of the plunger may bein the form of a stem adapted to be detachably secured to the lower endof the larger upper part of the plunger. The valve head 25 is adapted toseat on the upwardly facing valve seat 19, and the head 26 is adapted toengage the downwardly facing valve seat 16, the heads 25 and 26 being sospaced apart as to alternately engage their respective valve seats. Theriser 13 is held in the tank 10 by means of a detachable tail piec 27which is securedin threaded relation over the depending rojection 15 ofthe riser, and which is provi ed with a clamping nut 28 in the usualmanner for binding the riser in water-tight relation upon the bottom ofthetank.

j A float 29 is connected to the plunger24 by a preferably two-part stemcomprising a plunger part plunger part 30 is rovided with a flat camhead 32 fitting in t e transverse slot in the top of the plunger 24, andhas a pivot lug at one side of the cam head, the lug being ad justablyengaged by a pivot pin 33 carried which the stem 22 projects, and whenthe outer end of the plunger part 30 is raised, the plunger 24 is raisedtherewith. The

float part 31 of the stem is forked at its in- 30 and 'a float part 31.The

ner end, as at 34, and is pivotally'secured. over the plunger part 30 bymeans of a 1pm I ree 35. The float 29 with its stem part 30is to riseandfall in the tank without operatin the plunger part 31, or disturbingany adjusted position of the plunger. Mounted to freely turn upon end ofthe stem plunger part 36 is a com bined latch and cam plate 36.Asshownin Figs. 3, 4 and 5, this plate is substantially ofoval' form andhas an axial opening 37 adjacent to one end thereof. The stem part 30pivotally engages through the opening 37 and the elongated end of theplate 36 is adapted to normally hang down by its own weight. The uppershort end of the plate 36 the outer is provided with an arcuate slot 38having the stem 31 in substantially longitudinal alinement with theplunger part 30 of the stem, and to thus lock the two parts of the stemtogether so that the float 29 may operate the plunger 24. .Thelower endof the plate 36 1s provided, toward one lateral dge thereof oppositelyto the direction in which the arcuate slot 38 extends, with an elongatedopening provided with an outer arcuate wall forming a cam face. 40, andhaving an opposite wall 41 at its inner side substantially coincidentwith the major axis of the plate 36. The lowerend of this slot extendsto a point near the lower edge of the plate, and the up- I per end ofthe slot terminates in an arcuate wall struck upon the central axis ofrotation of the plate. The fixed stem 22 and its sleeve i 23 are adaptedto project through this lower.

slot, the sleeve working against the opposite walls thereof during theoperation of the plate. The float part 31 of the stem is provided with asleeve 42 which pro ects through the slot 38 and is adapted to con tactwith the opposite walls thereof to reduce frictional contact between theplate and the parts of the valve and permit of the easy operationthereof.

The plate 36 is rovided at one side, above the lower slot, wit a lug 43having an opening 43 in its outer end through which is hinged the lowerend of a connecting rod 44 located within the tank 10 in and adjacent toone wall thereof. Said wall of the tank is provided, near the top of thetank, with a handle 45 arranged outside of the tank and provided with astem 46 mounted to turn in a bushing 47 which is secured through the.

wall of the tank, the stem 46 having upon its inner end a weighted arm48 adapted for pivotal engagement at one end with the upa and lowerslots supply water is per extremity of said rod 44. The weighted everinto any predetermined normal position, such as shown in Fig. 9, whereinthe handle 45 extends upwardly and vertically. The plate or operatingmember 36 may be given any suitable form, and provided with upper andcam faces disposed in any suitable manner to interlock and release thestem sections 30 and 31 in accordiance with the hereinafter describedopera- 1'on.

In operation, when the tank 10 is substantlally empt the float 29 dropsinto the lower end thereof and swings the float part 31 of the stem downin the position shown m full lines in Fig.- 2.: As soon as the stem part31 reaches this position, the plate 36 is permitted to swing by its ownweight into the full line position shown in Fig. ,4. The shoulder 39engages the top of the stem 31 and prevents the same from rising. exceptby carrying the plate 36 and the plunger part 30 of the stem therewith.The plunger 34 is depressed when the parts are in this positlon, and thelower valve 26 is open to admit water from the supply pipeupwardlythrough'the'tail piece 27 into the riser 13. The upper valve 25 of theplunger is seated on the valve seat 19 and chokes off the upward flow ofthe water through the riser, although permitting a relatively smallamount of the water to pass upwardly and out of the lateral openings 20into the tank. As the seal has been broken at the lower end of the shortleg of the siphon, the water passmginto the riser and through the jetpipe 17 is directed upwardly throu h the short leg 12 and for the mostpart falfs back into the tank 10, assisting to fill the same. As thewater rises in the tank 10, the float 29 is carried therewith, and thetwo parts of the stem, which are now interlocked, are raised so as togradually raise the plunger 24. As the plunger 24 is lifted, the u pervalve head 25 is the valve seat 19 and a greater flow of the permittedto pass outwardly through the opening 20 into the tank. In this manner,the flow of. the supply water into the tank is increased, and the flowof the water through the jet passage 17 is "decreased.

When the water reaches a predetermined surface level, as shown in Fig.1, the plunger 24 is raised to its fullest seat 16. The supply pipe isnow closed, and the combined latch and cam plate 36 is 1n raisedposition as shown to advantage in Fig. 3. When it is desired to flushthebowl, or other device connected to the tank 10,

it is only necessary to turn the handle 45 and depress the connectingrod v44. This operation swmgsthe plate 36 around 1ts 48 is adapted tourge the handle45" gradually unseated m extent, and thelower valve head26 is seated upon the valve pivotal support, the outer end of theplunger part 30 of the stem, andmoves the shoulder 39 out of engagementwith the float part 31- '36, and the plunger 24 is moved down quickly soas to admit the water under pressure into the lower end of the riser 13and outwardly past the valve seat 16 into the jet pipe 17. The supplywater issues at substantially full pressure from thernozzle 18 into theshort leg 12 of the siphon, and over the bend of the siphon so as to'provide a sealed column of water in the long leg of the siphon and'thusstart the siphoning of the waterfrom the tank. It may be here noted thatthis siphoning action is started merely by the changed position of theplunger, and that no-valves, bulbs or other devices" are required. I InFig. 4, the dotted. line discloses the position of the plate 36immediately sub sequent to the operation of the handle 45.

When the handle is released the plate 36 gradually swings into itsnormal position, shown in full lines in Fig. 4, as the float 29 and itsstem part31 drop in the tank. As before explained, when the stem part 31reaches its lowermost position the late 36 automatically swings, by itsown weight, into position to-bring the shoulder 39 of the plate over thestem. part 31 and thus automatically latch the two parts of the stemtogether.

The valve head 25 does not entirely close the upper part of the riser 13to the supply ipe. so that even when the float 29 is in the lbweredposition as shown in Fig. 2, a small amount of the supply water passesout of.

water from the tank, and that after the siphoning action is completed,the same valve is operated to control the jet for the refill of the bowlor the like.

In the modification disclosed ih Figs. 7'

and 8, the riser 13" is provided at itsupper end with a slot in one.side only, the riser also having spaced-apartears 21 arranged at theopposite sides of said slot. The plunw1ll be noted that when a. valve 26ger 24 is transversely slotted as in the preferred form, and receivestherein the relatively flat cam head 32 which is carried upon theextremity of the plunger parts 30 of the stem. The pivot portion of thestem 30* lies between the head 32 and the opposite end of the stem. Thelower end of the plunger 24 is provided with a valve head having upperand lower valve-seating faces 25 and 26 adapted to alternately seat uponthe opposed valve seats 19 and 16. The riser 13 is made in two parts, abase part, and an upper part which are connected together in threadedrelation. The lower end of the upper part provides the downwardly facingvalve seat'19, and the base part has therein the upwardly facing valveseat 16. When the plunger 24 is depressed the inlet valve 26 is closedon the seat 16, the valve being closed against the fluid pressure. Thesiphon pipe 17 leads from one side of the base portion of the riser,between the valve seats 16 and 19. The opening 20, asin the a tankopening above the seats,

preferred form is arranged above the valve seat 19 to communicate withthe interior of the tank 10.

The plate 36 is substantially of the same form as is disclosed in Figs.3 and 4, and the upper and lower slots in the plate are substantially ofthe same form, and have the same result as above specifically outlined.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention above specificallydescribed, and shown in the accompanying drawing, is but one embodiment,and is set forth merely to disclose the features of this invention. Itis to be also understood that various changes and modifications may bemade in this structure to adapt it to diiferent types of tanks andconditions of installation, and that the various parts may be changedand modified as is found necessary in the manufacture and assemblage ofthe same, such modifica= tion and changes being restricted only by thescope ofthe following claims.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a riser havingopposed valve seats, a singl plunger in the riser having opposed valveheads, said riser having a siphon jet opening between said seats and afloat for actuating the plunger to cut off the water supply from both ofsaid openings, and means independent of the float for depressing theplunger and shifting the valve heads to admit water under pressure tothe siphon jet andto close the tank opening.

2. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a riser having asiphon controlling opening therein anda tank opening above the siphoncontrolling opening, the riser also having avalve seat below both ofsaid openings through which water is adapted to pass into the riser andhaving a second valve seat located between the openings through whichwater is adapted to pass upwardly to the tank opening, a single valveelement in the riser having opposed valve heads adapted to alternatelyseat on said to graduallv unseat the upper valve head and gradually seatthe lower valve head whereby to gradually decrease the pressure of waterthrough said siphon controlling opening and permit the passage of waterupwardly through the tank opening.

3. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a riser, a plungermounted in the riser, a lever pivoted to the riser and engaging at oneend with the plunger, a float, a stem carried by the float, a cam plateprovided with openings therethrough to separately receive said stem andsaid lever, said opening in the cam plate for the stem carried by thefloat being provided with a recess in one end providing asupportingshoulder against which said float stem is adapted to engage tohold the stem interlocked with the lever, and means for actuating saidcam plate for, dislodging the shoulder from said float stem andpermitting the independent operation of the float and said plunger.

4. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a riser having upperand lower valve seats therein, a plunger arranged in the riser andhaving upper and lower valve heads, said riser having a lateral openingtherethrough above said valve seats, a jet tube projecting from theriser between said valve seats, a siphon tube opening about said jettube, a float, and a connection between said float and said plungeradapted to raise the plunger and seat the lower valve head for shuttingofii' the water supply, said connection being adapted to be operated torelease the float and depress the plunger to unseat the lower valve headand seat the upper valve head whereby water under pressure is adapted topass through said jet pipe into'the siphon and start the siphoningaction, said connection being adapted to automatically interlock thefloat to the plunger when the float is lowered, whereby said upper valvehead is adapted to be unseated to admit water under pressure to the tankupon theraising of the float.

5. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a riser, a plungermounted for vertical movement in the riser, a two-part stem hingedlyconnected together, one part of said stem having engagement with said.plunger, a float, mounted on the opposite end of said opposite part, acam plate pivotally mounted on the plunger part of said stem and havinga recess therein for the reception of the float part of said stem, saidplate having in one end of said recess a shoulder for engagement withsaid stem to lock it from movement upon the plunger part of said stem, afixed stud on said riser, said plate having a cam face adapted to engagesaid stud, and means for turning said plate whereby to release the stemparts and move said cam face over said stud to force said plungerdownwardly in said riser. 6. In an apparatus as specified, a riser, avalve mounted in the riser, a float, a twopart stem connecting the valveto the float, and an interlocking cam plate connecting the parts of saidstem together and adapted to be actuated to release the float and forcethetvalve into open position when the float is raised.

7. In an apparatus as specified, a riser, a valvein the riser, a stemadapted to be connected to the'valve, a floatconnected to the stem andadapted to close the valve when the float is raised, and means engagingsaid stem for disconnecting the same from said valve and forcing thelatter downwardly into open Eosition irrespective of the position of theoat 8. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of extending stem,a plunger in said riser for controlling the passage of 'said slot andadapted to be I a riserprovided with a sta-- tionary laterally watertherethrough, a stem part pivoted to the riser and having connectionwith said plunger for operating the same, a cam plate pivotally mountedupon the outer end of said stem and having a cam slot in the lower endthereof to receive said fixed stem therethrough, a float, a stem partcarried by the float and having pivotal engagement with the stem part ofsaid plunger, said plate being provided with a slot in its upper endandhaving a shoulder at one end of the slot, said float part of the stemengaging through latched beneath said shoulder, and means for turningsaid plate to release said stem part from the shoulder and to draw theplunger part of said stem downwardly.

9. In an apparatusas specified, a plunger having a stem part, afloathaving a stem part, an interlocking member mounted on one of said stemparts and engaging the opposite stem part, said member being adapted tonormally interlock said stem parts for movement as a unit, a relativelyfixed member arranged in the path of said connecting member, and meansfor moving the connecting member for releasing the stem parts and forengagement with said fixed member whereby to force the plunger and itsstem parts into the desired position independently of the float.

WILL T. HANLY. THOMAS W. REESE.

